Author: Philip Jose Farmer
Date of First Publication: 1991
Place of Publication: World Fantasy Convention 1990: An H.P. Lovecraft Centenary Celebration (Weird Tales)
Type: Short story
Characters: The Creature; Victor Frankenstein
Themes: MAD SCIENTIST/MONSTER; ANDROID; POSTHUMAN; BYRONIC HERO; SYMPATHETIC MONSTER
Critical Summary: Doktar Krempe was a professor In Ingolstadt University and is now writing a letter to one of his close colleagues, Doktor Waldman, about what has become of him. His tale is bizarre but begs his friend to read the letter throughout. As they all know Doktar Krempe was presumed dead when a lightning bolt hit him. The truth is he was not dead but paralyzed but the doctors did not know any better. Right as he was about to take his last breath, Victor opened his casket and transported him to his lab. Victor injected him with an unknown substance and began to saw at his head.
Doktar Krempe awakens but quickly realizes that he is no longer in his own body. He is in a different body and is sharing a mind with someone else, although they cannot communicate. The other mind is also not aware of Krempe’s presence. To make matters worse he has absolutely no access to the body’s functions. It is the other mind that is controlling the show. He can only witness whatever the other mind feels, thinks, hears, etc.
Once Victor sees his creation come to life he is disgusted and horrified by what he created. Six-foot-tall undead being built from different corpses’ limbs and organs, the monster is abandoned by his creator. Doktar Krempe is both shocked and furious. Victor has found a way to bring life bit never wondered what the consequences will be for playing God. Kempe contemplates whether he could ever forgive Victor. He does not believe so.
As it turns out the Creature had no pasts memories, no knowledge of the most basic skills, it was as if he were a new born baby. He had no guidance; no one to show him the ropes. Krempe pitied the monster. He watched as the creature tried to interact with human beings and felt what the Creature felt after being rejected. He witnessed as the creature killed Victor’s brother. Krempe begged him to stop but the effort was useless.
The Creature began to feel mournful and eventually forgave Victor, but Krempe could not. He hoped for the monster to kill himself believing that his soul would be saved; after all, he was not committing the sin. The creature had no soul but if he was capable of forgiveness, then would God give him a soul?
Krempe does not have much time as the body is shutting down; he tries to finish his letter. His words are becoming sluggish and unidentifiable. As the story comes to an end it appears as if the creature is taking over the writing and is asking God for forgiveness.
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the creature is abandoned by his Creator and has to learns on his own. In “Evil, Be My Good” by Philip Jose Farmer, Victor also abandon the creature but there is a twist. There are two minds in one body; the creatures and a professor from Victor’s University. By adding this character, the readers are able to see the struggles the monster encounters throughout his story through the professor. It gives us a perspective on what might the creature have felt or thought. The main character also learns to sympathize with Creature. He understands why the Creature does what he does but is unable to help him. This story also portrays the aftermath of an evil scientist’s creation and how far he is willing to go.
Administrative Notes: Joana Chavez, CSUF; Dr. David Sandner (editing)